How to fix internet slow after downloading Windows 11

Windows 11 has been out for a little over two weeks and so far, it appears to be stable. Most users will likely have to force the update since the OS has only whitelisted a handful of CPU models despite a large number of them being compatible. The update is a little over 4.5GB in size and installation will take between 20 minutes to a couple of hours, depending on your CPU and disk speed.

Fix internet slow Windows 11

Windows 11 users haven’t reported any major bugs but the number of users that have upgraded to this new OS remains small. As more users upgrade, we may get a better look at how stable it is. That said, some users have been complaining about slow internet after upgrading or clean installing Windows 11. 

Check for updates

When you install Windows, regardless if it’s Windows 10 or Windows 11, it will download and install additional updates after installation is complete. These include drivers, codecs, and app updates. Give it a little time and try to leave the system unattended so that everything can download. 

If the system is pending a restart, restart it so that any driver updates that need to finish installing.

Update network adapter drivers

Windows 11 is new and may not be able to detect and update to the newest drivers available for your network adapter. You can manually check for and install the drivers.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand Network adapters.
3. Right-click your network adapter for wireless connections, and select Update driver.
4. Check online for driver updates.
5. Install the available update.
6. Follow steps 2-5 for the LAN network card.
7. Restart the system.

Uninstall and reinstall network adapter

Many users that have had problems with slow internet after updating to Windows 11 have been able to resolve the issue by uninstalling and reinstalling the network adapter.

1. Open Device Manager.
2. Expand Network adapters.
3. Right-click the network adapter and select Uninstall device from the context menu.
4. Allow the device to uninstall.
5. Restart the system.
6. Open Device Manager.
7. Click the Scan for hardware changes button.
8. Windows 11 will detect and install the network adapter again.
9. If it doesn’t, expand Network adapters.
10. Right-click the network adapter and select Enable or Install device.

Manually download network drivers

Your network device manufacturer may have updated drivers for Windows 11 ready and available. Windows 11 may not have installed them. You can download them manually and install the driver yourself.

1. Go to your device manufacturer’s driver downloads page.
2. Enter your system information or use its service tag to identify it.
3. Download the latest network drivers that are available.
4. Run the downloaded file (it will be an EXE).
5. Follow the on-screen instructions and install the driver.
6. Restart the system.

Stop Killer network services

Killer Network Service is a service that is known to cause internet and browsing problems on Windows 10 and Windows 11. Stop the service and the problem should go away.

1. Tap the Win+R keyboard shortcut to open the run box.
2. In the run box, enter services.msc.
3. Look for the following services;

Killer Analytics service
Killer Dynamic Bandwidth Management
Killer Network Service
Killer Smart AP selection service.

4. Right-click each service (One-by-one) and select Stop from the context menu.
5. Double-click each service (one-by-one) and go to the General tab.
6. Open the Startup Type dropdown and select Manual.
7. Restart the system.

Conclusion

Internet speeds tend to suffer when an OS is updated or newly installed. This is often attributed to updates that are installing in the background. On occasion, you may find that some services are not compatible with the new OS and they have to be suspended completely. If your system is flagged as not suitable for the Windows 11 update, wait a few months so that driver updates become available for your various hardware components. 

Read Full Bio

Fatima Wahab

Fatima has been writing for AddictiveTips for six years. She began as a junior writer and has been working as the Editor in Chief since 2014. Fatima gets an adrenaline rush from figuring out how technology works, and how to manipulate it. A well-designed app, something that solves a common everyday problem and looks

Latest from Author

How To Move All Off-Screen Windows To Your Main Screen How to make sticks in Minecraft